Brookfield Zoo

The Brookfield Zoo has something for all ages. Come with your family or a friend to "walk on the wild side."

The shorter days of December bring Holiday Magic at the Zoo. The fun starts after dark with lots of lights all around the Zoo! Make sure to reserve in advance.

I've been to about a half dozen zoos over the country and Brookfield Zoo is definitely one of the better ones. Great and diverse animal exhibits, and the animals seem to have more room than they do in other places. The space for the whole zoo is huge, and it's hard to see it all in one day. Food is average for what you pay. Pricey, but not outrageous. Decent range of food, so there should be something that you want somewhere in the zoo. Last, there's enough going on and events they hold that warrant multiple visits. I've already gotten my money worth for a family pass.

So if you're looking for a fun, family friendly (but not prohibitive so for adults, they sell alcohol), the Brookfield Zoo is a good place to spend a day!

*** Attention ***
Brookfield Zoo warns customers of false advertisement for discounted anniversary tickets

The advertisement offers four zoo tickets for $6.95, connecting the deal to a promotion for the zoo's 90th anniversary. The zoo said in a Facebook post that the offer and website are not affiliated with Brookfield Zoo Chicago and are a scam.

NBC News Chicago

5 Stars for Brookfield Zoo

I took my son to the zoo and he had an amazing time! Their Hamil Family play plzone was great for my toddler to roam around and explore. We also enjoyed the Hamil Family Wild encounters. We saw the goats, birds, llamas and lots of space for kiddos to run around.

We will definitely be coming back once the dolphins attraction is back for the season.

Pro tip: Park in the south lot it's closer to the toddler areas.

Our family really enjoyed the visit to Brookfield zoo over the weekend. It wasn't too crowded for a Saturday. The zoo is pretty spacious with many different species of animals. There's also a carousel and farris wheel you can enjoyed. Plenty of foo vendors around different sections of the zoo. There's also a good amount of bathrooms. There's a lot of certain things that are extra including parking, certain exhibits or animal feeding.

Brookfield Zoo offers a clean and interactive experience that is fun for all ages. The zoo provides a good mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits, making it a great choice even on rainy days. While the pricing may be on the higher side, the quality of the experience and variety of animal encounters make it a worthwhile outing that merits a return visit for a full day of exploration.

I was disappointed at the recent visit to the zoo. Lots of exhibits were closed due to construction.For example, the dolphin house, gorilla house, and pachyderms house are closed. The zoo still charge full price for entrance fee. It is not including the $17-20 parking fee.

The only thing I really like is the butterfly tent. It is an extra $4 per person. You can get real close with the butterflies but you have to be careful not to step on them.

I don't think I will go back until all their constructions are done.

Brookfield zoo I used to be a member from a library that will allowed us to come to the zoo for free and we would have sleep overs and clean up. I came back after years and realized how expensive the entrance cost. Now a lot of special exhibits charge an additional fee to go inside to visit. To feed the giraffe cost $15 and you get 3 pieces of Romain lettuce. The dolphins show is closed for renovation. The butterfly exhibit is also closed to name a few. So basically you are paying for a long walk and many places are closed for construction.

The food court is a little bit pricey a bottle water is $4.50 plus tax and to mention the food is like a 5 star restaurant over the roof. If you are very hungry you will wait about 1/2 an hour to get you food done.
Over all I spent about $200.00 just on essentials not even dessert.

My favorite place is the penguin habitat and I found out you can sit in a room to actually pet the penguins I really want it to experience it but it was an hour wait so maybe next time.

I recommend to bring your own pic nick and enjoy the zoo freeze your own drinks and save money I visited with my other half and we spent $200.00 without paying additional exhibits

Lovely time but part is under construction
They let you bring in your food and drinks
Late hours are the best no harsh sun
Lots to do and see
Perfect for kids! Lots of sprinklers throughout to keep you cool

Great time at the Christmas Light Festival.
So much to see and the lights were an overwhelming sensory overload experience
Tried the funnel cakes this visit too
Look forward to going again

I have been going to this zoo my whole life. I enjoy the exhibits and the different special events they have to offer.

I have done the beer fest, 5k, holiday lights, etc.

If you want to avoid crowds, here are some tips.
1. Go on a weekday around 1 pm. Field trips are leaving and less screaming kids around. I did this recently and had one of my best experiences. Animals were active, and I got to be close to the exhibits.

2. If you have to go on the weekend, get there as soon as they open. Crowds really pick up around noon. Stroller central at that point.

3. If you go often, consider a membership.